Will try and write this as briefly as possible…

– I have sold a DH bike to a seller who paid through paypal (the proper way, not with ‘gift’), I understand this is to protect buyer and seller.

– The guy is claiming there is play in the forks, which is caused by a crack where the pinch bolt is.

– When I sent the bike I can categorically say there was no play here. The bearings were replaced not so long ago and the crack has been there since March and I have ridden the bike a lot since and its never been an issue or gotten worse, as I am sure most of you know it is a common problem with forks like this.

– Now the problem lies with the fact that I forgot the person since it happened so long ago and he has now found it and is claiming I should pay for it.

– Fair enough. However it is the manner in which he is going about things. He seems intent on taking the bike to a bike shop, having it serviced and having everything and anything wrong with it fixed from big to small and expect that I pay for all and will not listen to anything else.

– I have tried to explain that I am not willing to do this and that I offer the option of a refund and he send the bike bike which he seems unwilling to entertain and continues to claim that he will have things sorted out and go about claiming money back form my via PayPal.

– To what extent is he able to do this?

(I might note communication with person in question has been extremely difficult so far as he seems exceptionally uneducated both in english and in bikes)

(not on this forum)

I understand this is to protect buyer and seller.

Make sure you make all your offers of refunds etc through the ebay system (or Paypal itself if it wasn’t an ebay sale) rather than private email. Cross your fingers.

How long ago did you sell it? There is a time limit on buyers reclaiming via paypal. I’ve had a couple of buyers recently open claims to get some percentage of money back. Rather than get into a slanging match I always offer a full refund minus postage. If you offer a full refund via the claims system the ball is back in his court, he can chose to accept or not. If he does you need to refund when the bike arrives. However most of the time it is usually people trying it on in my experience.

To be honest, if there was a crack and you didn’t mention it in the description he has got a reason to raise a claim.

Did you sell privately, through STW classifieds for example, or through eBay? Also, as above, how long ago? As after 45 days the sender can go whistle, as that it the limit Paypal put on opening a dispute.